c06-12-0757 Johnson.indd

Characterization of saffl ower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) with molecular markers is needed to enhance germplasm management and utilization. Amplifi ed fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was completed in saffl ower resulting in 102 unambiguous polymorphic markers. Pairwise distances were calculated for eight diverse populations of 12 plants each, and on bulked leaf tissue of 96 accessions. The 96 accessions represented seven world regions (the Americas, China, East Africa, East Europe, the Mediterranean, South Central Asia, and Southwest Asia). A bootstrap procedure was used to compare mean distances within and between populations and regions. Mean distances within populations, a measurement of population diversity, ranged from 0.005 to 0.315 and differed in 22 of 28 possible comparisons. Regions differed in all pairwise comparisons showing that AFLP markers distinguished saffl ower diversity across broad geographic groups. Correlation of the AFLP distance matrix with a phenotypic data matrix with 16 attributes consisting of oil, meal, and growth characteristics was signifi cant (r = 0.12, P < 0.05) but explained only 1.4% of the variation. This weak correspondence between AFLP and phenotypic data showed that both should be used to fully characterize saffl ower diversity. Amplifi ed fragment length polymorphism markers were useful for characterizing diversity in saffl ower and will be valuable for germplasm management and mapping saffl ower traits. R.C. Johnson and T.J. Kisha, USDA-ARS, Box 646402, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164; M.A. Evans, Dep. of Statistics, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164. Mention of product names does not represent and endorsement of any product or company by the USDA at the exclusion of other suitable products. Received 1 Dec. 2006. *Corresponding author ([email protected]). Abbreviations: AFLP, amplifi ed fragment length polymorphism; AWC, Arizona Wild Composite; GRIN, Germplasm Resources Information Network; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; RAPD, random amplifi ed polymorphic DNA. Published in Crop Sci. 47:1728–1736 (2007). doi: 10.2135/cropsci2006.12.0757 © Crop Science Society of America 677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permission for printing and for reprinting the material contained herein has been obtained by the publisher. Published online July 30, 2007